By Gavin, on December 5th, 2016  Every day, the famous Camps Bay region in Cape Town, South Africa, is discharging million of litres of untreated waste-water into our marine reserve. This is creating some serious and growing problems, for the vulnerable sea-life, for us water-users and soon for beach-goers too.
|
By WebWolly, on June 21st, 2016 It has been over a year since the City of Cape Town asked for comments from the public as part of the public participation process during its permit application to be allowed to continue discharging untreated effluent into our coastal waters and MPA’s. We have had no feedback or answers to our queries and objections, nor have we been advised as to whether or not the permit was granted and if so under what conditions.
|
By WebWolly, on December 7th, 2015 Aerial photographs of the oceans around the Southern tip of the continent went viral earlier this year causing outrage. The images showed that the City of Cape Town was pumping 55 million litres of untreated sewage into Table Bay every day. New scientific analysis now reveals that 87 000 carcinogenic, hormone disrupting chemicals could be seeping from the sewage mass into the oceans. Yet, the city is without any immediate solutions. Carte Blanche investigates the far-reaching impact of the filth.
|
By WebWolly, on July 4th, 2015  Cape Town Stadium should be converted into a hi-tech sewerage plant so the city can stop discharging about 50 million litres of untreated effluent in Hout Bay, Camps Bay and Green Point daily.
|
By WebWolly, on June 23rd, 2015 “These outfalls were built 25 or more years ago, when there was less knowledge about the harmful effects of raw sewage in the sea, and the quantities were very much lower than today. We cannot believe the city is unaware of the well-documented discovery of raw sewage floating off Camps Bay/Green Point by kayakers and divers”
|
By WebWolly, on June 12th, 2015 In a letter to the City, the association’s chairman Len Swimmer said: “We take serious issue with the present situation in Hout Bay. “The raw or partially macerated sewage is pumped out by our sewage station which, as you may not be aware, is subsequently transported in an anti-clockwise direction by the currents in our bay to Chapman’s Peak, and in and around the bay. “What we need is a proper sewage treatment plant with digesters that are capable of biodegrading the sewage,” he said.
|
By WebWolly, on September 22nd, 2013  Unless one has a jaundiced political perspective, it is very difficult to disagree with the DA’s stand on Nkandla, given the unbelievable economic hardship faced by the vast majority of South Africans. Transparency and accountability are given high priority under the DA’s governance policy framework, yet it seems that there are some very good examples of the DA falling well short of its ambitions. The R53m toll plaza building on Chapman’s Peak in Cape Town is one example.
|
By WebWolly, on September 2nd, 2013  The Hout Bay Residents Association this week appealed to the Competition Commission to investigate the entire 30-year toll road contract. Two companies linked to the project have accepted fines in a R1.46-billion construction industry collusion scandal; The Swiss company that provided safety nets to prevent rocks rolling on the road withdrew its safety guarantee two years ago for undisclosed reasons; A community leader from Hout Bay, which adjoins Chapman’s Peak Drive has called on residents to boycott the toll road to “punish” the provincial government for an “undemocratic” decision to support it; and A geology professor has warned that the new R54-million toll plaza office building is built into a slope of granite koalinite that, if disturbed, is prone to mudslides and slippages.
|
By WebWolly, on July 16th, 2013  It is now public knowledge, the Competition Commission’s probe into bid-rigging by the major construction firms in South Africa uncovered a web of collusion within the SA Construction industry. For over 8 years the Public protested to try and prevent the building of the Entilini Toll Plaza on Table Mountain National Park land. During a Urgent Interdict Application to the Cape High Court the Minister Carlisle informed the Court that it was not in the Public’s best interest to question or reject the Contract signed by Western Cape Provincial Government on the Chapman’s Peak Toll Road “as it would cost R141 Million to cancel this contract”.
|
By WebWolly, on April 18th, 2013  It may be that the MEC – and can this be the same Robin Carlisle who favours the construction of a huge toll plaza and office block on Chapman’s Peak Drive? – has bitten off more than he can chew.
|
By WebWolly, on March 11th, 2013  This proposal is a logical absurdity and is a clear case of putting the cart before the horse. Land Use Approvals are predicated on the specific Environmental Authorisation (EA) for the proposed development and thus the former must take all the conditions specified in the EA into account.
|
By WebWolly, on March 7th, 2013 The ECG has received legal advice from more than one source that the draft Act contravenes the Constitution in a number of respects. In particular it removes the right of community organisations and interested and affected parties to be consulted about planning applications and to submit comments on applications to the authorising body.
|
By WebWolly, on October 4th, 2012 GREEN Party leader Judith Sole is bringing a new legal challenge against the toll plaza under construction on Chapman’s Peak. Sole said yesterday: “I have to do this otherwise we allow a precedent to be set where anyone is entitled to build in a protected area just by getting a signature.
|
By WebWolly, on July 4th, 2012  In any war it is not who is right but who is left? So what is left? Well, thousands of community members shaking their heads in disbelief as to what transpired and most probably bitterness to boot.
|
By WebWolly, on July 1st, 2012  Your voice matters. Standing up for what you believe is right where ever you are in the world.
|
By WebWolly, on June 7th, 2012  Perhaps the biggest loser will be public confidence. If the government can get away with activities that flout its own laws – and use public money to fight citizens who try to hold it to account in court- why should anyone bother?
|
|
